The 2005 Livingston Academy state championship winning football team will be recognized at Friday’s game as they celebrate the 20th anniversary of their title run.
Principal Richard Melton said he remembered telling his wife mid-season that the year would be special, and he had a feeling they would win it all by the playoffs. Melton said the team’s run was like that out of a movie, as they overcame a tough schedule and 5-5 record en route to the championship.
“We’re still talking about just that Cinderella type experience that it was,” Melton said. “It’s hard to make it up, and you can’t really plan it. Teams who win state championships, that’s their plan, or if you plan to, you plan to win every game and then win a state championship.”
Melton said as the season progressed, the community rallied behind the team. Deeper in the playoffs, the crowds would get bigger as other local teams were eliminated.
Beau Massengille anchored the offensive line of the 2005 team. Massengille said the team set championship goals during the offseason and worked to make them come true. Massengille said the key to a title was not something measured on a stat sheet.
“You get judged on 40 times, and you know, how many times you can rep 225 and you know, all the things,” Massengille said. “There’s no measure on your heart, you know the heart that you’ve got for the game. I think what made our team so special is, man, we were just full of heart. We just never gave up.”
The 2005 season came with plenty of iconic moments, including a successful two-point conversion to give Livingston Academy a 29-28 win over Anderson County and punch a ticket to the postseason.
Massengille said a win against then-undefeated Knoxville Carter a week later gave the team a needed confidence boost down the stretch. Massengille said a screen pass to running back Jamie Vaughn to his side where he got to take on a defensive back helped set Livingston Academy up for a 27-24 win.
That win was one of three in a row decided by one score, as Livingston Academy would win their second round game against Austin East 18-15
Massengille said a tough Round 3 matchup with Knox Catholic, which was quarterbacked by now Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith, was another memorable moment. Livingston Academy narrowly escaped with a game-winning field goal.
Massengille said the team was given some bulletin-board material leading into their semifinal game with Notre Dame. Massengille said when the coaches exchanged film, Coach Elders was congratulated on a great season and told Notre Dame would take it easy on Livingston Academy.
“Of course for us, a bunch of 18 year old boys, we got real fired up, so we had one of the best weeks of practice we’d ever had,” Massengille said.
Years later, Massengille ran into Elders and asked if the story was true. Elders said it was the maddest he’s ever been. Livingston Academy used a strong start to the second half to come back from a multiple score deficit to beat Notre Dame 48-34.
They would then defeat David Lipsomb 28-13 in the State Championship.
Melton said part of the team he would always remember is their work ethic. Melton coached basketball at the time and said the football players on the team were very hard workers.
“Because they went so long, they missed nine or ten games in basketball that year,” Melton said. “Just their work ethic, you know, as they were preparing in the offseason, they were always working at something trying to improve. And they were competitive by nature.”
The 2005 Team, including players and coaches, will be honored on the field before Livingston Academy faces York Friday night. Recognition begins at 6:40, and kickoff will be at 7 pm.